Automatic vending-machine.



v PATENTED DEG. 3, 1907.

H. R. HOLBROOK. AUTOMATICSVENDING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION'PVILED SEPT. 22, 1905.

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PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907. H. R. HOLBROOK. AUTOMATIC VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED SBPT.22,1905. l

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HARRY R. .HOLBROOIQ OF ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC VENDING-MACI-IINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed September'ZZ 1905. Serial No. 279,700.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY R. HOLBROOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Attleboro, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and -useful Improvement in Automatic Vending- Machines, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention has reference to an improvement in automatic vending machines and more particularly to an improvement in the actuating mechanism of automatic vending machines. y

The class of automatic vending machines to which my invention is particularly a plicable requires only that the buyer sha l insert a coin in the slot, when the merchandise will be delivered automatically to an open compartment from which the merchandise can be easily removed by the buyer.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of an automatic coin controlled vending machine, whereby the delivery of the merchandise by fraudulent manipulation is prevented and the operation of the actuating mechanism is more certain than has heretofore been attained.

My invention consists in the peculiar and novel construction of a coin controlled vending machine comprising a case having a top in which are coin slots, a glass front, and a base having a closed coin receptacle and an open compartment through which the merchandise is delivered, coin chutes adapted to have a vertical reciprocating movement in the case, merchandise .delivery hoppers in the case, actuating mechanism on the hoppers adapted to engage with a iinger on the adjacent coin chute whereby on the dropping of a coin through the coin slot and chute the actuating mechanism is operated to automatically deliver one piece of merchandise from a hopper to the open compartment in the base, means in the actuating mechanism on the hoppers to prevent fraudulent removal of the merchandise from the hopper, and details of construction, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figurel is a front view of my improved automatic vending machine, showing the coin slots, the merchandise in the hoppers and the open compartment through which the merchandise is delivered. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the construction of the machine with the actuating mechanism in its normal position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view looking at the back of a merchandise hopper and showing the actuating mechanism in its normal position. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3, showing the actuating mechanism in its extreme operative position in full. lines and in its intermediate position in heavy dotted lines. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3 through the merchandise hopper and actuating mechanism. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 6 6 cf Fig. 3 through the hopper, actuating mechanism, and part of the coin chute, and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 7 7 of Fig. 4. through the coin chute.

In the drawings, a indicates the case, b t the coin chutes, c c the merchandise delivery hoppers, d d the automatic actuating mechanisms on the back of the hoppers, e e the merchandise in the hoppers, and f a coin shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 to illustrate they operation of myl improved automatic vending machine.

The case ais constructed to have the base a in which is the open compartment a2 and the coin receptacle a3, the base top a4 in which is the opening@5 and the slot a, the back a7 supporting the lower bracket a8 in which is the slot a9 for the coin chute and the upper bracket am having the slot a for the c oin chute and the opening a12 for the merchandise, the sides als @13, the glass front @14, and the top (L15 having the raised back portion al in the vertical front of which are the coin slots a a, as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The coin chutes b t are constructed in the form of a flattened tube in one side of which is theA slot b', as shownv in Fig. 7. Each chiite has the opening b2 in the edge adjacent the actuating mechanism d and the outwardly-curved upper end b3, as shown in Fig. 2. A coiled spring b4 is secured at one end to the chute and at the other end to the bracket am, the tension of the spring holding the coin chute in its normal or raised position, with the lower edge of the curved end b3 above the lower edge of the coin slot a, and a hook-shaped iinger b5 secured to the edge of the chute adjacent the opening t2.

The merchandise hoppers c c are each constructed in the form of an open ended rectangular tube having the slot c in its front for displaying the merchandise, the stampedup lugs c2 c2 and c3 c3 on the back, the stopsl .of a hopper c in a c4 c4 and c5 c5, the two aperturesc c6 adjacent the stops c5 c5, and the central opening c7, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The hoppers c-c are each secured attheir lower ends to the base top a4 over the openings a5 a5 and at their upper ends to the bracket al() under the openings @12 au, as shown in Fig. 2.

The actuating mechanism d comprises a latch d Apivotally secured, near its center to the lugs c2 'c2 on the back of the hopper c, and having the downwardly-extending lower arm d2, the two outwardly extending central arms cl3 d3 supporting the cross bar d4 and the upwardly-extending arm d5 on the end of which are the ears d6 d, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. A catch Z7 having the hook-shaped end d8 and the weighted portion (Z9 is pivotally secured to the arm d2 of the latch in a position for the hook-shaped end d8 to enter the. opening c7 in the back of the hopper c, A yoke d10 having the forwardly-eXtending side arms d du, the rearwardly-extending Lshaped arm (i12, and the upwardly-extend ing arm Z13 is pivotally secured by the side arms du du to the ears d. d on the arm d5 of the latch. An arm d is pivotally secured to the .ears d in a position to enter the aperture cG in the back of the hopper, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.v A whip spring d1? is secured to the lugs .c3 c3 on the back of the hopper in a position for the free end of the spring to bear on the arm Z13 of the yoke d10, as shown in Fig. 4. The arms d du and the arm (ZM act through the apertures c( c' as stops to hold the merchandise e e in the hoppers. The actuating mechanism d is attached 4to the back position for the ringer b5 on the coin chute to engage with the cross bar d4 on the latch and for the L-shaped arm C112 on the yoke d10 to enter the opening b2 in the coin chute, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4.

The merchandise 'e e may be the article to be vended or a circular boX inclosing the article.

In the operation of my improved automatic vending machine the buyer enters a coin in a coin slot al?. The peripheral edge of the coin engages with the upper edge of the .coin slot and with the lower edge of the upper end of the coin chute I), as shown in broken lines in Fig. 2. A slight push on the coin in entering the coin chute now moves the coin chute downwards against the tension of the coiled spring b4, into the position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. This downward movement of the coin chute brings the l'inger b5 on the coin chute into engagement with the cross bar d4 on the latch d and moves the actuating mechanism d into its eX- treme operative positionagainst the tension of the whip spring 15. This extreme operative position ot the actuating mechanism draws the arms d d and d (which acts as the tension of the coiled spring b4.

stops on the merchandise) out ofthe apertures c c in the back ofthe hopper and moves the i hook-shaped end d8 of the catch Z7 through the opening c7 into the hopper, thus allowing one of the articles of merchandise e to drop onto the hook-shaped end ZS of' the catch, as shown in full lines in Fig. 4. The instant a coin has entered the coin chute, the chute is returned to its raised or normal position by The tension of the whip spring (115 on the yoke d10 now moves the actuating mechanism into its intermediate position, with the ends of the arms cl d resting on the back of the hopper against the stops c4 c4, the arm dm extending through an aperture c6 and under the adjacent article o'f merchandise and the hookshaped end d8 of the catch still holding the article of merchandise to be delivered, as shown in heavy dotted lines in Fig. 4. The coin now dropping down the chute strikes the L-shaped arm d12 on the yoke (which eX- tends into the opening b2 in the chute) and moves the arms du d on the yoke against the stops c5 c5 on the back of the hopper. The tension of the whip spring d now moves the actuating mechanism d into its normal position, as shown in Fig. 2. .This moves the arms d d and d through the apertures and under the following article of merchandise and moves the hook-shaped end d8 of the catch out of the hopper, thus allowing the article to drop through the opening a5 into the open compartment a2 from which it can be readily removed by the buyer. By this construction and operation of the mechanism all oli' the articles of merchandise in the hopper are positively locked against fraudulent manipulation and the article to be vendedis only released by the actual striking of the coin on the arm du on the yoke d10 in its passage down the coin chute.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent g-y l. An automatic vending machine comprising a case in which is a coin slot, an open compartment, a coin receptacle, a coin chute adapted to have a reciprocating movement, a merchandise hopper, actuating mechanism on the hopper the normal position of which locks the merchandise in the hopper, said actuating mechanism consisting of a latch pivotally secured near its center to the hopper, a weighted catch pivotally secured to the lower end of the latch and adapted to enter the hopper, a yoke pivotally secured to the upper end of the latch and having iiXed arms and a pivoted arm adapted to enter the hopper and an arm adapted to enter an opening in the coin chute, a whip spring secured to the hopper in a position to exert a spring tension on the yoke, and a finger on the coin chute adapted to engage with the latch of the actuating mechanism, whereby 'on the entering of a coin through the coin slot into the coin chute the actuating mechanism first assumes an eXtreme operative position to partly release the bottom article of merchandise,.then an intermediate position to lock the following articles of merchandise, and then its normal position to fully release the bottom article of merchandise from the hopper, as described.`

2. The combination with an automatic vending machine having a case d in which is an open compartment a2, a coin receptacle 0,3, a coin slot a, a coin chute b having an opening b2 and held in its normal position by a coiled spring b4, and a merchandise hopper c, of an actuating mechanism d comprising a latch CZ pivotally secured to the back of the hopper c and having the lower arm d2, the central arm d3 d3 supporting the cross bar d4, and the upper arm d5 on the end of which are the ears d6 d, a catch 17 having the hookshaped end d8 and the weighted portion dg pivotally secured to the end d2 of the latch d in a position for the hook-shaped end d8 to enter an opening in the hopper c, a yoke d10 having the side arms d d, an L-shaped arm d, an upper arm (Z13, a pivoted arm d, and pivotally secured to the ears d d on' the arm d5 of the latch d in a position for the arms du dll and d to enter openings in the hopper c, and the L-shaped arm d to enter the opening t2 in the coin chute l), a whip spring d secured to the hopper c in a position for the free end of the spring to bear on the arm Z13 of the yoke d10, and means for operatively connecting the coin chute b with the latch d/ whereby on the entering of a coin through the coin slot a into the coin chute l) the actuating mechanism d first assumes an extreme operative position to partly release the bottom article of merchandise in the hopper, then an intermediate position to lock the following articles of merchandise in the hoper, and then its normal position to fully reease the bottom article of merchandise from the hopper, as described.

3. An automatic vending machine, embodying a case, a movable coin chute, a merchandise hopper, actuating mechanism on the hopper the normal position of which locks the merchandise in the ho per, embodying a latch pivoted to the opper, a catch pivoted to the lower end of the latch and adapted to enter the hopper, a member pivoted to the upper end of the latch embodying a pivoted arm adapted to enter the hopper and an arm adapted to enter an opening in the coin chute, said member being spring pressed, and a finger on the coin chute adapted to engage with the latch whereby on the entering of a coin the actuating mechanism first assumes an eXtreme operative position to partly release the bottom article of merchandise, then an intermediate position to'lock the following articles, and finally its normal position to fully release the bottom article.

4. A vending machine embodying a merchandise hopper, a coin actuated vertically depressible coin receiving chute disposed adjacent said hopper and spaced therefrom, said hopper and chute having openings in adjacent sides, means to control the discharge of the merchandise in said hopper disposed -in said space between the hopper and chute and adapted to project in said openings of the hopper and chute, and a projection on said chute adapted on downward movement of the chute to engage and operate said means.

5. A vending machine comprising a merchandise hopper, a suspended coin chute adapted for movement with relation thereto said article chute having upper and lower openings therein, an article delivery controlling mechanism comprising an upper finger normally disposed within said upper opening and a lower finger normallyT held out of said lower opening means actuated upon the movement of said coin chute in a determinate direction for moving the upper finger out of said upper opening and for simultaneously moving the lower finger into said lower opening, coin actuated means for moving said lower finger out of said lower opening after the actuation of said first named means.

means for restoring said upper finger and the actuating means therefor to normal position after the actuation of said coin actuated means, and means for restoring said coin chute to normal position.

6. A vending machine comprising a merchandise hopper a spring held suspended coin chute adapted for movement with relation thereto, said merchandise hopper having upper and lower openings therein, an article delivery controlling mechanism comprising an upper finger normally disposed within said upper opening and a lower finger normally held out of said lower opening, means actuated upon the movement of said coin chute in a determinate direction for moving the upper finger out of said upper opening and for simultaneously moving the lower yfinger into said lower opening, a member having a side arm constituting a pawl pivoted adjacent said upper finger and having a portion normally out of but adapted to be projected into the path of the coin in said coin chute, said upper finger in its movement out of said upper opening moving said pawl into position whereby it engages said hopper as a stop, said finger also moving said projecting por- .tion into the path of said coin in sai coin chute, said coin being designed to engage said projecting portion and move the same to disengage said pawl from said stop, a spring designed upon disengagement of said pawl to'restore said fingers and the actuating means therefor to initial position.

7. A vending machine comprising a merchandise hopper, a suspended coin chute adapted for movement with relation thereto, oppositely movable upper and lower fingers designed for movement through said article chute, said upper finger being normally within said hopper and said lower finger beinfr normally Without the same, means actuate on the movement of said coin chute for reversing the normal relation of said fingers, means for sustaining said fingers in suoli reversed relation, coin actuated means for releasing said sustaining means, means for restoring said fingers to normal position after the operation of said coin actuated means and means for restoring said coin chute to initial position.

8. A vending machine embodying a merchandise hopper, and a movable coin chute disposed in spaced relation, said hopper and coin chute each having side openings, means for discharging the merchandise having portions adapted to move into and out of said openings of the hopper and the chute, and means on the chute to engage said discharging means and operate the same upon movement of the chute.

9. A vending machine embodying a vertical merchandise hopper and a vertical downwardly movable coin chute' arranged in spaced relation and each having an opening formed in their adjacent sides, pivoted merchandise discharging means having parts adapted to project in each of said o enings, and cooperating means between said chute and'said discharging means whereby upon downward movement of the chute said discharging means will be actuated.

l0. A vending machine embodying a merchandise said hopper and chute each having side openings, movablemerchandise discharging means having a plurality of parts some of which are adapted to enter said openings of the hopper and chute, and means on the chute adapted upon movement of the chute to engage another of said parts of the discharging means and thereby operate the latter.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY R. HOLBROOK.

hopper and a movable coin chute, 

